Loading device



Feb. 26, 1946'. MOSHER 2,395,494

LOADING DEVICE Filed Aug. 12, 1942 2 Sheets-Sheet l w 30 v H i l 26T Alfred L Mi:lshe'r Feb. 26, 1946.

A. L. MOSH ER LOADING DEVICE Filed Aug. 12, 1942 2 SheetsSheet 2 Patented Feb. 26, 1946 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE (Granted under the act of March 3, 1883, as amended April 30, 1928; 370 O. G. 757) Claims.

The invention described herein may be manufactured and used by or for the Government for governmental purposes, without the payment to me of any royalty thereon.

This invention relates to a loading device, more particularly to a device for consolidating pellets of explosive or incendiary composition in cavities of artillery shell.

An object of this invention is to provide a device for simultaneously loading a plurality of shell in which device is incorporated means for equalizing the applied pressure between a plurality of consolidating rams. Another object of the invention is to provide in such a device a simple and efficient means for holding the shell bodies. Another object of the invention is to provide a device of the type described which may be used for loading shell in a uniform manner. Still other objects and advantages of the invention will be in part apparent and in part pointed out in the following description of a preferred embodiment as shown in the accompanying drawings in which:

Fig. 1 is a vertical section of the loading device.

Fig. 2 is a section taken on the line 22 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a section taken along the line 3--3 of Fig. 1.

According to the invention, there is provided a device for simultaneously loading a plurality of shell, including a head carrying a plurality of ramming elements reciprocable in said head, means for equalizing pressure between said ramming elements, means for actuating said rammer, and means for positioning a shell body to be loaded in alignment with each of said ramming elements.

The device of the invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings wherein like characters of reference refer to like parts in the separate views.

In the drawings, 1 is a base plate having upstanding cylinders 2 housing vertically reciprocable rods 3 carrying horizontal guide plate 4 provided with bushings 5. These bushings are three in number, as shown in Fig. 2, and each is provided with a countersunk recess 6 for engaging the nose of a shell 1, a cylindrical aperture 8 serving as a guideway for the introduction of pellets of explosive into the shell and as a guideway for the consolidating rams 9, and a downwardly tapered mouth Ill. The rods 3 are machined to the form of a rack H on their back surfaces, which racks are engaged by pinions I2 carried by shaft l3. On the right hand end of this shaft is mounted handle I l, manipulation of which serves to raise and lower guide plate 4.

A tray I5 is provided for carrying the shell. The tray is not attached to the base plate I and is removable therefrom by sliding forwardly. It is positioned on the bed plate I by engagement of the rear surface of the tray with the stop 16 bolted to the base plate. Upstanding cylinders ll engage the sides of a shell contained therein to support it in vertical position.

A multiple rammer is provided having a plurality of ramming elements 9 mounted in a head is, the elements being aligned with the bushings 5 in the guide plate. The ramming elements are reciprocable in their cylinders 20 within the limits defined by keyway 2| and key 22. The rammer head is provided with a cavity 23 housing an equalizer element 24 in the shape of a mushroom head. The top surface 25 of the equalizer is essentially spherical and the surface 26 defining the top of cavity 23 also is spherical and has a radius equal to the radius of the top of the equalizer. These two surfaces are capable of being accurately mated, and when so mated form in efiect a ball and socket joint. A space 2'1 i provided between the top of the equalizer and the top of cavity 23 for a purpose to be hereinafter explained. The bottom of the equalizer is provided with an annular depending portion 28 of semitoroidal configuration which makes contact with the tops 29 of the ramming elements. The tops of the ramming elements may be plane, as shown, or they may be slightly convex upwardly, for instance spherical to provide more nearly a point contact between the equalizer and the ramming elements.

The ramming head [8 is carried by a shaft 30 to which pressure is applied by any suitable means, for example, by a hydraulic press.

In operation, tray I5 is removed from the base plate and shell bodies to be loaded are inserted in the cylinders H. The tray is then positioned upon the base plate and the guide plateis depressed by actuating the handle M to engage the noses of the shell in recesses 6 of the bushings 5. A pellet of explosive composition is introduced into each of the cavities SI of the shell bodies. The rammer is now forced downwardly to compress the pellets and consolidate them in the cavities. The rammer is retracted and another increment of explosive composition is added to each shell and consolidated in like manner. This process is repeated until the desired quantity of explosive has been consolidated in the shell cavities, whereupon, the rammer is finally retracted, the

guide plate is raised and the tray is removed. The loaded shells are removed from the tray and another set of shells may then be processed as described above.

The action of the equalizer is to insure, that the explosive charge in each shell is consolidated substantially to the same degree. As pressure is applied through the ramming elements to the separate charges, bacl; pressure forces the ramming elements into the head carrying with them the equalizer element 24 to a position seating the latter against surface 26. Inequalities in back pressure on the separate rammingelements will 7 cause a shifting of the equalizer element in its socket which tends to relieve excess pressure on one ramming element and to distribute this pressure to the other two ramming elements, thus tending to equalize the pressure on all three ram- 1. A device for simultaneously loading shell odi s which om r s a ulti l remm r i cluding a head, ramming elements reciprocably mounted in said head and symmetrically disposed a ou t e a s of a er, e av ty in ai head having a spherical upper surface, an equalizing element of substantially unyielding material in said cavity havin a spherical surface complementary to said f rst mentioned ph rical surface and having a second surface cont asting the ends of said ramming elements, means for actuating said rammer, and means for positi n n she l bo e to be ad d in gnme t with said ramming elements;

A device for simul ane y lo din shell odi which c mp i s a vert ca l reciprocab e mu ti le ramrcer in lud ng a head havin a avity he ein, ammi g lements. eciproc b ount d id id heed and symm trically disposed about a e tic l xis, a solid equalizing element fl a ing in said cavity and contacting all of the rammers,

and means for applying pressure to said rammers spherical conformation, three ramming elements re iproca ly moun e in said hea parall l t and symmetrically disposed about the axis of said rammer and having their upper ends spaced from said concave surface, an equalizing element positioned between said surface and said ramming elements, saidequalizing element having an upper convex spherical surface facing said concave surface and complementary thereto, the lower surface of said equalizing .elementhaving areas contacting the upper ends of said ramming elements in substantially a single plane, means for actuating said rammer, and means for positioning three shell bodies to be loaded in alignment with said rammine le n sa. A device ior simultaneously load g she l bod es which compris s a multiple rammer includ ing a head, ramming elemen s reciprocably 1 moun ed in said hea a cavi y n said he avleg a spheric l. up e surlia e, an equalizing lement in said cavity having a spherical su face complementary to said first mentioned spherical ur ace nd hav n a second surfac cont ctin he nds oi said ramm ng ements, m ans'for ac uat ng said rammer. and means for position ing shell bodies to be loaded in alignment-with said amm ng elements. 7

5. A device for s1 lultaneously loading shell bodies whic compri es a multiple hammer inud ng a e d. ramming elements recipro ab y m un in s id hea and symmetrically disposed ut h xis of said rammer, a cavi y in said he h ving a sphelical u per surfa e-an equeliz is element of substantially unyield ng mate al n said cavi y having a spherica sur ace com plemehta y toraid first. mentioned spherical sura e and hav he, a seccndsur ac of semi-toroid c nfi uration co ta ting t e ends of said ramming elements, means for actuating said rammer, and means for position ng shell bodies to] be loaded in alignment with said ramming elements.

ALFRED L. MOSHER 

